1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to contents reproduction apparatuses, and in particular to audio-video (AV) receivers which are able to perform a variety of signal processings implementing desired sound fields on audio signals.
The present application claims priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-127078 (Filing Date: May 26, 2009), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Custom installation has been widely implemented to configure a desired AV system upon arbitrarily combining AV devices. AV receivers (see Non-Patent Document 1) implementing custom installation allow users to freely select and reproduce desired ones from among various audio-video contents upon connecting various audio-video sources.
AV receivers recently introduced employ various audio-video sources such as portable audio players (e.g. “iPod”, a registered trademark), USB memory, personal computers (including hard-disk drives), and other storage devices storing large amounts of multiple-type contents in addition to conventional set-top boxes (STB), DVD players, and videocassette recorders (VCR). For this reason, they are able to reproduce various types of contents such as audio contents, video contents, photo-album contents, and game contents.    Non-Patent Document 1: Yamaha Corporation of America, “RX-V/RX-Z/RX-N Series, AV Receivers from Yamaha Electronics” retrievable via the Internet at URL: http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=558249&CTID=5000300
AV receivers are designed to perform the signal processing implementing preferable sound fields on audio signals of reproduced contents, wherein it is preferable to perform the optimum signal processing suited to the type of reproduced contents. Preferably, AV receivers carry a capability of changing the setting of signal processing in conformity with user preference or the type of contents. For this reason, it is necessary to diversify the setting of signal processing in AV receivers under consideration of diversifications of reproduced contents.
Users may need to select the specifics of the signal processing (e.g. signal processing modes) in light of user preference and the desired type of reproduced contents. However, users may be confused how to select a desired one of numerous signal processing modes installed in AV receivers, wherein AV receivers need to explicitly illustrate differences between signal processing modes with detailed explanations, which require complicated presentations and indications. For this reason, users need to carry out troublesome and complicated operations, resulting in listening to audio contents in inferior sound fields far from optimum listening conditions.